Motor vehicle door latch



E. L. |TTER MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Oct. 13, 1942.

Filed Dec. 3, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 13, 1942. E. L. SITTER MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR LATCH 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 3, 1940 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

Patented Oct. 13, 1942 STATES PATENT GFIQE MOTOR VEHICLE DOOR LATCH Evan L. Sitter, McLean, Tex.

Application December 3, 1940, Serial No. 368L384 4 Claims. (01. 292-335) This invention relates to motor vehicle door locks, the primary object of the invention being to provide a door lock constructed in such a manner that the door equipped with a lock of this character, will close easily, eliminating the necessity of slamming the door in order to securely fasten the latch member thereof.

An important object of the invention is to provide means for holding the sliding bolt or latch of the door lock in its retracted position until the door has been completely closed.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a motor vehicle door lock wherein the frequently greased movable parts thereof, are enclosed or completely concealed in a latch housing, eliminating any possibility of soiling the clothes of persons moving into or out of the vehicle.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein described, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a motor vehicle door latch constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the latch, illustrating the position of the sliding bolt of the device, when it is retracted or unlocked.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a sectional View taken on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken on line 66 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference character 5 designates the latch housing, which is formed with an offset portion 6, disposed adjacent to the forward end of the latch housing,

The latch housing is formed with aligning opening in the front and rear end walls thereof, through which the latch or sliding bolt I operates.

The sliding bolt 1 operates through the tubular support 8 that is provided with a collar 9 providing a stop for one end of the coiled spring Ill, the opposite end of the coiled spring I0 resting against the inner surface of the rear end wall of the latch housing 5. Elongated openings II are formed in opposite surfaces of the tubular support 8, and accommodate the transversely extended pin I2 that is carried by the sliding bolt 1. The sliding bolt operates through the tubular support 8 and is formed with a notch I3 that is adapted to register with an opening in the support 8 and in which the end I4 of the pivoted arm l5 engages, securing the sliding bolt to the tubular support 8. The pivoted arm I5 is connected with the tubular support 8 at I6, the pivoted arm I5 being urged towards the tubular support 8, by means of the spring H, which is shown as hearing against the extension I8 of the pivoted arm.

A stop I9 is secured within the housing, and is adapted to be engaged by the transversely extended pin I2, when the sliding bolt has reached the limit of its inward movement, thereby restricting further inward movement of the sliding bolt.

Formed in the side face of the sliding bolt I, and disposed at a point adjacent to the free end thereof, is a notch 2d, which notch is adapted to accommodate the plate ZI which is provided with a transversely elongated opening, through which the sliding bolt 7 moves. This plate ZI is provided with rearwardly extended arms 22 that are pivotally connected to the wall of the casing or housing 5, by means of the arms 23.

The coiled spring 24 has one of its ends connected to the transversely disposed pin I2, the opposite end thereof being anchored to the latch housing 5, as shown by Figure 3.

Thus it will be seen that when the sliding bolt has been released, the action of the coiled spring 24 will be to retract the sliding bolt. It might be further stated that a spring member 25 normally urges the plate 2! towards the sliding bolt, so that when the sliding bolt moves to a position wherein the notch 20 thereof is 0pposite to the plate 2| the plate will snap into the notch, securing the sliding bolt against outward movement.

The handle of the door latch which is indicated by the reference character 25' is provided with a spindle 25 that extends into the ofiset portion 6 of the housing 5 where it supports the finger 21 which is secured thereto, the finger 21 being so disposed that it will engage the forwardly extended end 28 of the pivoted arm I5, When the sliding bolt I is in its latching position,

or in the position as shown by Figure 1 of the drawings. A link 30 connects with the lower end of the arm 29, and has pivotal connection with the arm 3| that is secured to the spindle of the inner door handle 32. Thus it will be seen that due to the link 30, the arm 29 and pivoted arm I 5, may be operated by either the handle 32 or handle 25.

The inner end of the tubular support 8, is formed with a collar 32 that provides a stop for one end of the coiled spring 33 which is appreciably stronger than the coiled spring It. The sliding collar 34 is mounted on the tubular support 8 and engages the opposite end of the coiled spring 33. Arms 35 extend from opposite sides of the sliding collar 34, and have connection with the links 36 that have pivotal connection with the rod 31, that in turn has pivotal connection with the bracket 38 mounted within a recess of the door frame.

Mounted within an opening of the door post, is a keeper plate 39 that is formed with an inclined surface 49, against which the free end of the sliding bolt 1, engages. Due to this construction, it will be seen that when wear occurs between the bolt and inclined surface of the keeper plate, the inclined surface will compensate for such wear, to the end that a close fit will be insured, between the sliding bolt and keeper plate, eliminating any possibility of the door rattling, when the vehicle is moving over irregularities in a road surface.

The operation of the latch is as follows:

Should it be desired to open the door, the handle is moved downwardly, the latch or sliding bolt 1 being in the position as shown by Figure 1. the finger 21 moves against the forwardly extended end portion 28 of the pivoted arm I 5. At the same time the arm 29 moves against the transversely disposed pin 2. is moved to a position to disengage the sliding bolt I, and the sliding bolt is moved rearwardly, to the position as shown by Figure 3 of the drawings, by the action of the coiled spring 24.

The plate 2| now moves to engage within the notch 2|], formed at the outer end of the slidin bolt, securing the sliding bolt against movement to its extended position.

As the door is swung open, the arms 36 move the collar 34 against the spring 33, compressing the spring and moving the tubular support 8 to a position where the opening in the tubular support again registers with the notch I3 of the sliding bolt. The extended end of the pivoted arm l5 now locks the sliding bolt to the support 8.

While the coiled spring 33 acts to move the tubular support 8, it also provides a cushioning means for cushioning the movement of the door.

When the door is moved to its closed position, it is obvious that the edge of the plate 2| will contact with one wall of the keeper opening formed in the post of the door, as shown by Figure 2. This movement will move the plate 2| from the notch 20 releasing the sliding bolt to th action of the coiled spring In, which is heav- As the handle is moved downwardly,

The pivoted arm ier than the coiled spring 24, to the end that the action of the coiled spring 24 will be overcome by the action of the spring l0. It will be obvious that the bolt is now projected against the keeper plate 39 and assumes its latching position as shown by Figure 2 of the drawings.

What is claimed is:

1. In a door look, a housing, a tubular support mounted for movement within the housing, a sliding bolt mounted within the tubular support and movable longitudinally thereof, said bolt and tubular support having aligning openings, an arm pivotally mounted on the tubular support and adapted to extend into said aligning openings connecting the tubular support and sliding bolt, means for operating said arm releasing the sliding bolt, a spring adapted to retract the sliding bolt when the sliding bolt is released, means adapted to reconnect said retracted bolt and tubular support and a spring adapted to overcome the action of the first mentioned spring and extend the tubular support and sliding bolt when the sliding bolt and tubular support are connected.

2. A motor vehicle door lock, comprising a tubular support adapted to be secured to a door, a sliding bolt operating in the support, means for interconnecting the tubular support and bolt, means for retracting the tubular support and bolt when the door is moved to its open position, a pivoted member adapted to hold the tubular support and bolt in their retracted positions independently of the retracting means, said pivoted member adapted to automatically release the bolt when the door is moved to its closed position, and means for projecting the bolt to its locking position when the bolt is released.

3. A motor vehicle door lock, comprising a housing adapted to be secured to a door, a tubular support mounted for sliding movement through the housing, a locking bolt slidable through the tubular support, means for interconnecting the bolt and tubular support, manually controlled means for simultaneously releasing the bolt and moving the bolt to its unlocked position, a pivoted member adapted to hold the sliding bolt in its unlocked position, temporarily, said pivoted member adapted to automatically release the bolt when the door is moved to its closed position, and yieldable means adapted to project the bolt to its locking position when released.

4. A motor vehicle door lock, comprising a tubular support, means for slidably securing said tubular support to a door, a locking bolt slidably mounted within the tubular support, a pivoted arm adapted to engage the tubular support and bolt, interconnecting the tubular support and bolt, manually controlled means for movin the sliding bolt to its unlocked position within the tubular support, holding means for temporarily holding the bolt in its unlocked position, said holding means adapted to engage the frame in which the door is mounted, releasing the bolt, and a coiled spring adapted to project the tubular support and bolt to their locked positions.

EVAN L. SIT'I'ER. 

